We Are Tomodachi Autumn / Winter 2017

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10Bringing Growth through the Integration of Different ExperiencesFeature: Toward a Society Where All Women ShineWomen’s active participation in the workplace is often discussed from perspectives such as gender equality or the provision of equal employment opportunities. But how often do you hear it mentioned as a source of economic growth and innovation?One person asserting that “women’s active participation in the workplace truly has a direct bearing on expanding a business and generating profits” is Mitsuru Chino, an executive officer at the major trading company Itochu Corporation.She observes, “In Japan, women who work in product development have generated a large number of hit products in the automobile and convenience store industries and elsewhere. It goes without saying that half of the people in society are women and that they are important consumers. Women are using various products and proposing what they themselves would like to have, based on those experiences.”Chino is one of the people driving greater workplace participation by Japanese women, and she points out that during the past twenty years, the number of women in career-track and administrative positions in Japanese corporations has been expanding dramatically. She adds that this increase has heightened women’s consciousness, In Japan, the number of women in the workforce grew by 1.5 million people between 2012 and 2016. The number of female board members also doubled during that time.27.525.022.5150010005000Number of women in the workforce, in millions (left-hand scale)Number of female board members of listed companies (right-hand scale) 20032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016giving rise to a virtuous circle that expands opportunities for workplace participation even further.“As the number of women in the workforce and in executive positions increases, gender consciousness fades, so the significance of that is quite substantial. At Itochu Corporation, we’ve advanced a wide range of measures, such as creating a system by which female employees are paired with more senior female employees who serve as mentors. And recently, the government has also prepared systems and legislation to promote women’s active participation in the workplace. I feel we are seeing the effects of these efforts as well.”Economic growth through women’s participation in the workplace―that is, “womenomics”―has been one of the government’s priority issues since Prime Minister Abe took office in 2012. Prime Minister Abe has stated, “Women bring to corporate management certain perspectives that only women can provide. Diversified organizations are able to provide society with new types of added value,” and has introduced the quote “If ‘Lehman Mitsuru ChinoExecutive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Itochu International Inc.; Chief Executive Officer and President of Itochu CanadaAfter working as a partner of an international law firm, Mitsuru Chino joined Itochu Corporation in 2000. There, she was instrumental as in-house counsel and rose to executive officer in 2013. She assumed her current positions in April 2017.Changes in the number of women in the workforce and of female board members of listed companies